As someone who’s taught for over 20 years, I was always a very traditional educator, even in my online modalities. Over the last few years, I’ve adapted to the evolving needs of our students and developed a passion for finding interactive tools that preserve the engagement, rigor, and authenticity my courses have long been known for.
Leveling the playing field
My goal has been to level the playing field for my students to the best of my abilities, using the most effective resources. As a data- and science-minded person, I piloted multiple trials with my students using a variety of tools. Now, we realistically understand that there is not one perfect candidate. However, often, when we combine tools, powerfully innovative things begin to happen. The power combination I began integrating into each of my course disciplines and modalities is Bongo in MindTap. And, it has changed my life and the lives of my students for the better in so many ways.
Making valuable connections
In “My Get Up and Go Got Up and Went,” Andrew Bauld with Harvard Graduate School of Education describes how, “…it is important for teachers to think about how students are doing not only academically but also emotionally, and to find ways to inject joy into their lessons.”
What is Bongo?
Bongo in MindTap injects that joy back into our lessons. This combination of tools allows me to craft a truly revolutionary experience for teaching and learning. Bongo encourages process over product and engagement in interactive lessons, not only between educator and student but also between peers and an AI Coach. I can create activities and assignments tailored to my learning outcomes. I use Bongo across the disciplines and modalities I teach. It helps rehumanize my teaching while enlivening lessons and peer interactions for my students in English Composition and literature courses, whether hybrid, online, live online, or face-to-face. Students can now see and hear me. They’re able to engage with written and interactive lessons and use their own recordings and writings to obtain valuable feedback from the AI Coach and through video-based and written peer interactions.
Limitless interactive possibilities
General education hard skills like reading, writing, critical thinking and communication can be challenging for many students. While many are aware that they need help filling in skill gaps, some lack confidence to try and fail or, worse, be embarrassed. We often don’t feel confident showing our weaknesses. Our students may cheat for this reason alone — afraid of the consequences. They may not engage in the process of practice and exercise with their educator, peers or tutors. It’s uncomfortable.
However, Bongo allows students to feel encouraged to engage in the process. Students begin to see how Bongo bridges their soft and hard skill gaps. They feel encouraged to come out of their shell, exercise, and grow by:
- Practicing reading and writing
- Practicing speaking and listening
- Engaging in real-world scenarios
- Engaging in interactive video lessons
- Showing their work
- Brainstorming ideas
- Participating in group lessons
- Completing comprehension checks
- Joining discussions
These are all innovative ways that enliven how students engage. It is truly incredible. This is the first time in over 20 years of teaching where I’ve had students ask me if I can make more Bongo lessons so they can practice using the tools inside this valuable resource.
Promoting authenticity and originality
In the past, I noticed some students relied on AI as a crutch rather than as a tool to support their learning. Now, with Bongo’s tools and features in MindTap, like Turnitin, my students have become most unlikely to cheat with generative AI. I program the AI Coach in Bongo to provide students with in-depth feedback about how they’re performing according to the learning outcomes for a specific lesson. Students can then use this feedback, revise and edit as many times as they want and gain continued feedback before ever submitting something for a grade. With these tools, we can help enhance AI detection, decrease punitive actions, and increase students’ integrity in the writing process.
Bongo doesn’t operate alone in my courses. Students also submit their writings to Turnitin. It’s a great way to back up the Bongo lessons in MindTap and bolster how students see their coursework as authentic versus academically dishonest. However, this is mostly to teach metacognition. Students learn how to analyze their own report as a teaching tool and as feedback about how to improve and grow. Students, who at the beginning of the semester were low- performing or low-engaging, are now excited to interact with Bongo lesson tools, myself and their peers more authentically. Critical thinking and language skills can be challenging for students across disciplines, but Bongo and MindTap tools promote an encouraging environment needed for them to feel confident and grow throughout their learning process.
In totality
Bongo in MindTap rehumanized teaching and learning for me and my students. It’s brought my students back to life. I believe these tools will have the same positive effect on you and your students.
Which assignment do you think would benefit most from integrating Bongo’s audio-video learning and/or AI Coaching feedback? How would it benefit you and your students? Reach out to discuss.
Written by Faye Pelosi, Professor in the Communications Department at Palm Beach State College and Cengage Faculty Partner.